Motor-vehicle spring.



E. HALL. MOTOR VEHICLE SPRING.

APPLICATION FILED JUNEzs,1911,

' Patented Sept. 3, 191i?? 2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

H vanto@ zum;

A. E. HALL. MOTOR VEHICLE SPRING, APPLlGATloN FILED JUNB2s,1911.

WHHIM ALLEN E. Hannon"MssIom'PsNNsnvaNm MOTOR-'VEHICLE SPRING.

Bpeoioation o! Letton Patent.

Patented sept.3,1o12.

Application tiled .Tune 28, 1911. Serial No. 635,708.

To all whom it may-concern.'

Be it known that I, ALLEN E. HALL, a citizen of the -United States, residilrlg at Merion station, in the county of ontgomery and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain-new and useful Improvements in Motor-Vehicle Springs, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in motor vehicle springs, the object of the invention being to connect the axles with 'the frame by means of pivoted devices, onevof said pivoted devices connected to a plunger rod, and a coiled spring exerting pressure on said plunger rodto tend always to hold said pivotal devices in a horizontal line with the shaft. l

A further object is to provide a. ring mounting for the axles of motor vehic es-in which the axle is pivotally connected by-a link with :a fixed part 'of thefframe at one side of the axle, and at the other side-of the axle ispivot-ally connected by .a link with -a springheld plunger...

A further object` is to provide a construction of the vabove vmentloned character in which the plunger is mounted to move in a casing having a spring exerting pressure on thelunger inone direct-ion, and said casing' lled'withfiiuid, which 'is free to pass throu h the plunger in one direction, and is-chec ed in-itso posite movement, so as to prevent a. sudden rebound of the frame, and operateas a sho'ck absorber.

A further'object is to provide a link connectionfbetweenthe axle and the frame, and the axle andthe plunger, which will prevent 'atransmi'ssion of vibrations from the axle and hence ermit the' employment of solid tires instea of pneumat-ictires.

A further object is to provide an im'- proved construction of the character stated which may be readily attached to any ordinary `frame in use, and which is designed for connection with-the front and rear axles with equalfacility. v

With theseand'other-ob'ects in view, the invention consists in certaln. novel features of construction and-combinations and arrangements of-parts,i,asfwi1l bey more fully hereinafter i described -and pointed out v4in the clairnfs','^-y

lInl-he accom an ingdrawings: Figure 1, is a view illus rat ng oneiormv of myeimprovements:which` isy shown in connection with a frame especially made for my invention. Fig. 2, is a fragmentary plan view of the left hand end of Fig. 1. Fig. 3, is a view on an enlarged scale in longitudinal section through the cylinder 12. Fig. 4, is a view in side elevation illustrating my improvements attached to an ordinary frame without altering the latter, and illustrating a modified vform of link connection, and Figs. 5, and 6, are views on an enlarged scale in side elevation illustrating my improvements, and showing other ymod1fied forms of link connection.

-1, represents theframe of a motor vehicle, 2 the wheels, and 3 and 4, the front and rear axles respectively. As is customary, the front axle 3 is'rigid, while the rear axle 4 revolves, and the front axle is provided with the ordinary structural features not illustrated. On-front axle 3, a collar 5 is secured, and is provided at op` ite sides with perforated ears `(i. The orwardgearl 6 is connected by a link 7 with a clevis 8, pivotally secured inthe downwardly bent ,forward end 9 of frame 1.

A link 7, connects the rear'ear 6 with a plunger rod 10, andthe latter is screwthreaded .and receives a plunger 11 thereon. The -plungerllis located in a cylinder 12 integral with a bracket 13 which is fixed to frame 1. The links 7 above referred to com rise a plurality 'of heavy canvas sheets, to t e ends of which loops 14 'are fixed and constitute the pivotal connection between the links and theears 6, clevis 8 and plunger rod 10, so that while the links are comparatively rigid, they permit a free pivotal connection between the parts, and by reason of their structure, prevent ytransmission of vibrations from the axle to the frame.

Cylinder 12 is closed at one end by a removable head 15, and plunger 11 is secured on the rod 10 bv means of a nut 16. The rod 10 is rovidedwith a guide sleeve 17 inside of t e casing, and a coiled spring 18 is located between the end of the casing and the plunger 11,*,so as to-exert pressure on the plunger:- and-normally hold the rod 10 and ink 7 iny horizontal alinement. A pressure downwardof the frame tends to move the plungemlllforwardly against the action of the spring. .I The cas ng 12 is lled with a fluid preferab1v:oil,=which is sup lied through a normally-closed opening 1 having a screw plug 2O therein, and rod 10 is made with a relatively large duct 21, through which the oil passes from one side of the plunger to the other. This duct is normall closed by l. ball valve '22 held in position y means of a. coiled spring 23 back of which a tubular nut 24 is screwed into the end of the rod. Relatively small openings 25 are provided in the plunger, so that when theplunger moves to 'the ri ht of Fig. 3, the oil willl freely How past te ball valve 22, but the return movement of the plunger is retarded by the fluid, which must slowly pass throughthe relatively small openin 25.

The rear axle 4 1s mounted to turn in a collar 26, which is' connected b a link 7 with a bracket 27, and a nested ow spring 28, the latter taking the place of the plunger and coiled spring structure above described. It is to be understood of course that the mounting of` the axle is the same at both sides of the frame, so that the `bow spring 28 acts as a sprin connection for the rear links 7 at both si es.

To strengthen the construction, and withstand the'longitudinal strainsthereon which tend to shear the rivets of brackets 13 and 27, astay rod 29 is provided-having an kadjustable coupling 30 to regulatethe length oftherod.l y l t j 'In the const.ruction"shownin Fig. 4'," the attachments at both ends of the vframeare precisely alike, and each attachment' comprises a bar .31- secured by'rivets 3 2 to: the frame 33, each-'of'these bars'having a downwardly projecting'forward endV 34, and referably cast integral with'thecylinderf 2at the rear end of said bar. The structures are otherwise precisely alike in constructin"at the ri ht and end of Fig. 1, except that instea of employing the lmk 7, metal links are provided as shown.`

In Fig. 5, a modification is illustrated in which cables 36 are employed as connect-in links, and in Fig. 6, chains'87are employe as connecting links'. In otherrespects the structures shown in Fi 5 and 6 are precisely the structures il uatrated4 in Fig. 4. It will therefore be noted'that' while I may em loy various typesI of pivoted links,'tliey all avev features in common. I. f'

It will be noted' that the axles'have a-lixed relation to their forwarla-.linksh'v lgInother words, they `cannot move rearwardly,- and this `is essential ony account o f-theiconnections betweengthe "steeringnchanism 'and the driving power, andi the'movementlyertically of the axle" is compensated"- atfthe .rear only. rWhile',-"'ofi"course,' the' axle'sqre'fpemitted ar certainl- 'amount of yliterali;more." ment, as 'well as vertical movementg-f'all tot which isi :compensated 'for` 'bytthaspri'l-igvplungers,'auch movementisj eonined within a relatively small ares," so'. that' the pressed in line with sai 'vdownwardl frame is su ported as rigidly as is necessary without undue Wabbling.

The springs may be of any strength desired, so that any cushionin effect may be had and when I employ lin s 7 which are ma e of fabric or other similar material, the vibrations of the axle are not transmitted to the frame, and hence I am able to employ solid instead of pneumatic tires.

In operation, the vertical and lateral movement of the frame relative to the axle is compensated for by the movement of plunger 11 against the action of spring 7, and the shocks are absorbed by the passage of the fluid in the casing as above explained. Therefore, with a structure of this character, a combined spring, shock absorber, and v1- bration deadener is had, and I may make many changes in the general construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from this invention. I, therefore, do not limit myself to the precise structures illustrated and described, but consider myself at liberty to make such changes and alterations as fairly fall within the spirit and sco of thc ap ended claims.

aving thus escribed my invention, what` I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A spring mounting of the character described, comprising a frame having a downwardly project-in portion, anda cylinder projecting portion, of a collar adapted: to e-positioned on an axlegfa link pivotally-:connecting said collar ,withsaiddownwardly projecting portipn, agspring-pressed plunger in said casing, a rod secured to said plunger, a link connecting said collar with said rod, said cylinder having fiuid therein, a normall closed check valve 'controlling a relative y large opening through said plunger in one direction, and lrelatively small openings in said plunger permitting the flow of fluid in the opposite direction, substantially as described.

2. A spring mounting of the character described, comprising a frame having a downwardly proJecting portion, and a cylinder in ine with said downwardly roecting portion, of a collar adapte to Ae posit1oned on an axle, a link pivetal-l connecting-said collar with said downwa y projecting portion, a spring-pressed plunger in said. casing, a rod secured to said plunger, a link connecting said collar with saidrod, said plunger rod'where it rojects through said plunger vhaving a re atively large fluid duct,V a `spring-pressed ball valve normally'closing'said duct, and said plunger constructed-to permit al relatively slow flow lof the fluid in a direction opposite to the direction'of How through sa duct, substantially-as described.

' 8. A spring mounting ofthe character descrew-threaded, and a nut screwed onto said rod against the plunger, Substantially as de.

scribed.

4. A spring mounting of the character de scribed, comprising a frame having n downwnrdly projecting portion, and a cylinder in line with Said downwardly projecting portion, of a collar adapted to be positioned on an axle, a link pivotally connecting said collar with said downwardly projecting portion, a spring-pressed plunger in seid easing, a rod secured to sind plunger, a link connecting said collar with said rod, said cylinder' having Huid therein, a normally closed check valve controllinga relatively large opening through said plunger in one direction, and relatively small openingeI in said plunger permitting the flow ot' fluid in the opposite direction, an integral guide sleeve iii`said cylinder snugly fitting the plunger rod, the

inner end of said rod screw-threaded, andV e nut screwed onto said rod against the plunger, substantially as described.

5. A spring mounting of the character described, comprising a trame having a downwardly projecting portion, und 1 cylinder in line with said downwardly projecting portion, of u collar adapted to be positioned on an axle, a link pivottdly connectingsaid collar with said downwardly projecting portio'n, u spring-pressed plunger in sui'd (fusing, ve rod Secured to said plunger, a link connecting said collar with said rod, said plunger rod where it projects through said plunger having :i relatively large Huid duct, n springpressed bell valve normally closing Suid duct, said4 plunger coi-istructed to permit a relatively slow flow of the fluid in a direction opposite to the direction of flow through ,Quid

duct, un integral guide sleeve in seid cylinder snugly fitting the plunger rod, the inner end of said rod screw-threaded, lund e nut screwed onto Sziid rod against thc plunger, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof l have signed my naine to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALLEN E. HALL. W'itnesses R. H. KRENKEL, Cir-xs. E. Porre. 

